updated 02:50 pm EDT, Mon October 31, 2011

Now available in two major urban areas

Apple has added New York City outlets to a list of options for in-store pickup of online orders. Going to online checkout with an item now gives shoppers the option of choosing "a store in SF Bay Area or NYC," with a ZIP code check to determine whether an eligible store is nearby. New York City locations include SoHo, Fifth Avenue, Upper West Side, and West 14th Street.

While stock configurations of products are readily available, choosing to pick up a custom-configured Mac can cause major delays. AppleInsidernotes that an SSD-equipped iMac, for instance, will currently only be shipped to a New York City store for November 15th. Some advantages however include Apple's Personal Setup service, avoiding the hassles of home delivery, and the option of designating someone else to claim a shipment. Apple appears to be moving rapidly in expanding in-store pickup coverage; in less than a week the company has gone from offering three destinations to 19 on two separate coasts.